Wrench.



W. H. SPANIER.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. 916.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATET Flfi,

WRENCH.

Application filed March 31, 1816.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, W'ALDEMAR H. SPA- izinn,a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Harbor, in the countyof Ramsey and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and usefulrench, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to wrenches.

An object of this invention to provide an improved construction ofwrench, which is automatically adjustable to nuts, bolt heads, and otherdevices to be turned, which are polygonal, with any number of sides, orwhich are of cylindrical contour, such as pipes, threaded washers, andthe like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple,compact structure of wrench, wherein but relatively few curved parts andprojections are employed, and wherein the peculiar formation of theparts strengthen the same, and strengthen the wrench as a whole, towithstand relatively great pressure and to prevent undue wear andfriction upon and between relatively movable parts.

Other objects and advantages of this invention as well as the above willbe more fully brought out in the following specific disclosure of thepresent embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of awrench, embodying the improvements of this inven toin, and showing thejaws separated, or open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal edgewise sectionedview through the wrench of this invention, the jaws being closed and inengagement with a cylindrical object, shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sec tional view, through the wrench, taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a side ele ration of a wrench, embodying thefeature of this invention, and showing a slightly modified form of thejaws.

Referring to this drawing, wherein like parts are designated throughoutthe several views by similar numerals of reference, 10 designates aninner jaw, which is integral with an inwardly extending relatively broadshank 11. The jaw 10 has an inner curved face 12, which is toothed,serrated, or otherwise suitably formed for performing its function. Thisface 12 is shown in Fig. 1 as of concave form, and as merging into theinner edge of the shank 11. The inner end of the shank 11 is hollow, byprovision of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1916.

Serial No. 88,055.

slot 13 which opens through the inner end of tie shank 11 and alsothrough the inner edge of the same. The inner edge of the shank 11, atthe base of the jaw 10, is pro vided with a pair of cars 14;, whichproject from the inner edge of the shank 11, and which have a spacetherebetwecn constituting substantially a continuation of the slot orchamber 13 in the inner end of the shank.

The wrench has an outer jaw 15. The jaw 15 has a straight inwardlyextending shank 16, which when fully open, lies substantially inparallelism with the inner shank 11, as shown in 1. ihe inner i L a cageof the shank 16 has an inwaidly entending semi-circular lug 17, reducedin thickness for pivotal engagement between the ears 1%. The spacebetween the ears 11 is provided with an inner rear wall 18, which iscurved preferably on the arc of a circle, the center of which iscoincident with the central axes of the cars 11 and the lug 17. The cars1% are of substantially semi-circular form and are substantiallyconcentric with the inner wall 18. The outer shank 1G is also providedwith a curved wall or shoulder 19 at the base of the lug 17. This wall19 is substantially concentric with the cars 14, and is adapted toreceive the outer edges of the ears tl'iereagai-nst when the lug isinserted between the ears. This wall 19 projects from the opposite sidesof the lug, so as to engage the opposite ears. The provi sion of thesewalls 18 and 1.9 provides substantial abutments for taking up any unduepressure exerted laterally to displace or rock the jaws 10 and15 out oftheir common plane. ii pivot pin 20 passes transversely and centrallythrough the ears'H and the lug 17 to pivotally connect the jaws.

The inner end of the outer shank 16 has a flat abutting face 21 at itsinner edge, which, as shown to advantage in Fig. 1, abuts against theinner edge of the inner shank 11. This abutting face 21 determines thelimit of the opening of the jaws 10 and 15, and also holds the shank 16in position to be operated upon. In the outer part of this abutting face21 is a concavity 22, the inner curved wall of which constitutes a camface, which merges into the Hat abutting face 21 at its lower end. Ahandle lever 23 is pivoted near itsouter end in the slot or chamber 13of the inner shank 11. A pivot 24 passes transversely through the innerhollow end of the shank 11, and through the handle lever 23 to pivotallyconnect the lever to the inner shank. The outer end of the lever 23 has,at itsinner edge, an integral lobe or projecting cam portion 25 whichmerges at its outer end into the outer edge of the lever 23, whichlatter is slightly curved as shown at 26 to form substantially acontinuation of the lobe 25. The lobe 25 is posh tioned directlyopposite to the concavitv 22 and is adapted to project thereinto forenthe swinging of the lever 23 through a substantial distance, and intothe position shown in Fig. 2.

In use, the wrench is normally in the position shown in Fig. 1, whereinthe straight substantially parallelshanks 11 and 16 hold the jawslO and15 in spaced relation and remain in such position by contact of theabutting face 21 against the inner edge of the shank 11. The handlelever 23 normally extends in longitudinal alinement with the inner shank11, the lobe 25 resting in the concavity 22.

The wrench'is automatic in its adjustment, as when the jaws 10 and 15'are'engaged about an object to be clamped by the wrench, such as thepipe 27, shown in Fig. 2, the jaws 10 and 15 may be contracted againstthe pipe until they bind firmly thereagainst. This action is effected byswinging the lever 23 outwardly about its pivot 24 toward and into theposition shown in Fig.

' 2. This movement of the lever 23 forces the and rides over the camwall of the concavity,

and as the lobe rises toward the abutting face 21, the closing action ofthe jaw 15 is accelerated. In Fig; 2, the pipe 27 is shown as being arelatively small object, so as to illustrate the closing limit of thewrench. Of course, the parts may be otherwise proportioned than hereshown, so as to further contract the jaws 10 and 15. The object 27 maybe readily released by merely swinging the handle lever 23 back intonormal position, so as to release the jaw 15 and permit it to springoutwardly from the object and from the opposite jaw' 10. When the wrenchis gripped upon an object and pressure is applied to the handle 23, itis evident that this pressure on the handle 23 will be trans- WVhilethejaws 10 and 15 have been shown 7 I in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, as havingserrated or toothed engaging faces, and the faces are concaved, it is tobe understood that the jaws 1O and15 may be employed, which are providedwith outwardly diverging relatively straight faces 12 having steppedteeth. The present structure is also applicable to pipe cutters, and thelike, wherein a the inner faces of the jaws may be of any desiredconfiguration and one of the jaws may be provided with the usual form ofcutting disk or wheel, which is commonly employed. The shanks 11 andlGare preferably of the same thickness, so that when they are broughttogether, the abutting face 21 will have a substantial support, and thelobe 25 of the handle lever 23. will be relieved of all pressure orfrictional contact with the outer shank when the wrench is not in use.

hat is claimed is A wrench comprising an inner jaw provided with aninwardly extending hollow shank open at its inner end and at its inneredge, and having spaced apart edgewise extending ears in its inner edge,a handle lever pivoted in said hollow shank and having an edgewiseextending lobe projecting through said open inner edge of the shank, anouter jaw having an inwardly extending shank provided with a projectinglug at its inner edge for engagement between said ears,"and a pivotpassing through the ears and the lug to pivotally connect the jaws, theshank of the outer jaw having a flat abutting face at its inner edge forengagement against the inner edge of the inner shank, and having aconcavity in its abutting face to receive the lobe and to provide a camsurface in the concavity for the lobe to work against, said handle leverbeing adapted to be swung in said hollow shank to move the lobeoutwardly against the said cam surface of the concavity to force theshanks apart and close the aws, said lobe being adapted to work out ofthe concavity and inwardly onto said abutting face to acceleratetheadvancement of the outer jaw, the lower edge of the outer edge wall ofthe inner shank comprising a stop for engagement with the hand lever tolimit the outward swinging of the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing Qopies of this patent may beobtained for five'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of:gatents, Washington, D. Q.

